Journalism school to honor alumni communicators

Marketing and strategic communication will take center stage at this year’s University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication annual awards dinner.

This year’s distinguished service award winners are Teresa Alpert, worldwide planning director for advertising agency Lowe & Partners Worldwide; Richard Bachhuber, retired director of consumer relations and corporate contributions for consumer products maker Procter & Gamble; and Sue Steinberg, a marketing professional with Mastermind Communications and a member of the original development team for MTV.

“A common thread of the communications training offered across media in our school is how to successfully reach an audience with a particular message,” says Greg Downey, journalism professor and director of the school. “That includes those who strategically market products and ideas and whose field is changing as rapidly as traditional news media.”

Justine Nagan will receive the school’s Ralph Nafziger Award, which honors outstanding achievement within 10 years of graduation. Nagan is executive director of Kartemquin Films in Chicago and recently directed “Typeface,” a documentary on American typography and graphic design.

The school’s Harold L. Nelson award for achievement in mass communication research will go to Paul Voakes, dean and professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Voakes, who spent 15 years as a reporter before earning his doctorate from UW–Madison in 1994, has researched and taught mass media law and ethics, news writing, reporting and editing, and math and statistics for journalism.

“The accomplishments of all the winners represent the school’s professional and scholarly mission,” Downey says.

The winners will be honored at an April 16 banquet in the Alumni Lounge of the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. The reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner following at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30; to register, visit http://uwalumni.com/SJMCAwards2010.